


His Eyes

by kylar



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Eren's eyes are Isabel's eyes, Levi has a foul mouth, M/M, and likes to tune people out, episode fourteen, ereri, headcannon, levi pov, lines pulled from episode, rated mature for language, that sounds weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-24
Updated: 2015-01-24
Packaged: 2018-03-08 20:24:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3222239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kylar/pseuds/kylar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi always loved Isabel like a sister and he always loved her eyes.  When she died, he thought he would never see those eyes again.  Until he met Eren Jaeger.  And when he saw those eyes again, he fell in love.</p><p>This is episode fourteen of season one, as told from Levi's point of view. It's been a number of years since he lost Isabel, and now he faces Eren during the military tribunal. Can he handle the sight before him? Or will it break him down completely?</p>
            </blockquote>





	His Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> After the first ACWNR episode came out, I noticed that Isabel's eyes were very similar in color to Eren's, and I always kind of wondered if they bothered Levi, or if he even noticed. And after enough obsessing, I decided that they did and poof! Headcannon! Then I saw [this post](chibinico.tumblr.com/post/104495071347/ereri-headcannon) on tumblr and I decided that I just had to write a short fic about the effect of Eren's eyes on Levi.
> 
> The first half is pretty much just episode fourteen in Levi's POV, and then it gets a little more creative. All of the spoken lines after the first line break are pulled directly from the dubbed version of the episode.

Sitting in Erwin's office, talking over strategies and plans that I really couldn't give two fucks about, I catch myself staring out the window.  I really should be training with my squad, not sitting in this dark room listening to Erwin and Mike talk about that damned brat in the dungeon.  Hanji is too excited.  She keeps going on and on about how we need to find a way to win the brat over from the Military Police.  Will she just shut the fuck up already?  If she's not going to put in any actual ideas, she should keep that big mouth of hers shut.

I may not be super interested in what happens with the kid, but I have to admit that talking with him the other day was interesting to say the least.  He's young, but he's seen more death and bloodshed, and has infinitely more combat experience than most of those Military Police dogs.  And the determination he showed when he talked about slaughtering all of the titans was fascinating.  The boy is intriguing.  What the fuck is his name again?  Eric?  Erin?

"Come on, Erwin!  We need Eren on our side," Hanji whines.  "We can't let the Military Police kill him.  He's too valuable a test subject."

"Yes, thank you for informing us, because we didn't get the message the first hundred times you said it," I retort, turning my gaze from the window to glare at her.

"Don't be such a stick in the mud, short stack," Hanji huffs.  "This is really important and you guys aren't coming up with any ideas."

"Well if you have one, we'd greatly fucking appreciate it if you'd share it instead of whining at us."

"That's your guys' job!  I'm just the scientist.  I'll start thinking once you get me custody of him and I can start running my experiments."  God, she's practically fucking drooling over just the thought.

"Then shut the fuck up and let us think," I snap at her.

"Levi."  Erwin's tone is hard in warning.

"Don't 'Levi' me.  What's so special about the brat anyway?  He's a monster.  What do you even want him for?  Do you plan on using him against the titans?"

"Yes," is Erwin's simple answer.  He's still looking over those damn papers, not bothering to even look up at me.

"He took out nearly twenty titans on his own before he collapsed," Mike says.  "He could be an invaluable weapon if we can figure out how to control him."

"And that's exactly the problem, isn't it?" I say, finally turning away from the window to face the others in the room, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.  "How do you plan on doing that?  He turns himself into a fucking titan.  How in the hell are you going to control him?"

"No need to figure that out if we don't succeed in winning custody of him," Erwin says, leaning back in his chair.  "So let's work on that problem first, shall we?"

I exhale sharply and cross the room to an empty chair.  Resting one ankle over the opposite knee, I sit back in the chair and look up at the ceiling.  How the fuck are we going to convince Zackly to hand over Eric?

"I think I have an idea."

Everyone's attention immediately turns on Erwin, who is staring down at his desk, his mouth hidden behind his steepled fingers.  His thick brows are furrowed in thought.  His blue eyes flicker up to meet mine.

"It's going to rely heavily on you, Levi," he warns me.

I plant both feet back on the ground and lean my elbows on my knees.  "I'll do what I can," I promise him.  It's the truth.  I trust this man with my life, and I'd follow him to the end no matter his plans.

"Good.  So, here's what we have to do...."

...

I exhale again in boredom.  How long does it take for that shitty glasses to get the damned brat from his cell?  She may act incompetent at times, but Mike went with her, and he definitely is not.  So what's taking them so fucking long?  Nile is standing across the floor from Erwin and I, and I've been staring him down for the better part of twenty minutes.  It's getting to him too.  He's definitely fidgeting a lot more now, and he keeps glancing at me before looking quickly away.  I keep my smugness hidden though as I continue to glare at him, my arms crossed over my chest.  That's right, squirm, you fucking cockroach.

The doors open and a pair of Military Police soldiers lead the brat in, his hands cuffed behind his back.  It's about fucking time.  The soldiers usher the brat forward, down the aisle and onto a small platform near the back of the floor.  They push him to his knees and bolt him to the floor.  I guess these guys are really serious about containing the kid.  Not that any of that will stop him though if he were to shift.  My fingers itch towards my thighs.  I wish I had my maneuvering gear on me.

The door in the front of the courthouse opens and Zackly enters, taking his seat on the raised bench.  It draws my attention from the brat and my lack of defense against him, and I listen half heartedly as he begins the tribunal.  Oh, that's right, his name is Eren Jaeger.  I'll try to remember it this time.

Zackly prattles on, something about the brat giving up his life and swearing servitude for the betterment of humankind, blah blah blah.  Eren answers his questions with short replies, keeping to the point and only speaking when spoken too.  He's a well behaved brat, I'll give him that.  He does seem nervous though.  As he should.  This trial will determine whether he lives or dies.

Then, Zackly calls for Dok to present his case.  I tune out the insufferable drone of that dog's voice as he rattles on and on.  Yes, we all know your name is Nile Dok, and yes, we all know you're the commander of the king's dogs- I mean, the Military Police.

My eyes fall back on Eren as I start to think over Erwin's plan.  I'll definitely be able to carry it out.  That won't be a problem.  I'm only worried about how the kid will react.  And if Zackly will react the way we are anticipating.  If he doesn't, it doesn't matter what I do, the plan will fall apart.  The kid still seems nervous, and I actually find myself feeling bad for him as he stares wide-eyed at the dog as he yaps and yaps.  I don't know what the hell he is, or how he came by this ability of his, but to me he seems just as confused about it as we are.  I doubt he asked to have this monstrous ability, and to be dragged into a court to face a possible death sentence because of it.

I force myself to concentrate on Nile's words again.  I don't know why I suddenly started going soft on the damned brat, but this isn't the time or the place.  I have a plan to carry out, and growing soft now won't help matters.

I tune back in just in time to hear that fucking wall worshiper open his big mouth and start spewing his cultist nonsense.  Can someone shut him the fuck up?  He's annoying me.

The bickering comes to an end as Zackly calls the attention to Erwin to propose his plan.  Hopefully the commander's smooth way with words will win Zackly over and then I won't even have to carry out Erwin's plan.  That, of course, would be ideal.  I'm not going to enjoy what Erwin wants me to do to the brat, but I'll do whatever he tells me, because I know he's deemed it necessary for the survival of mankind.  If he needs this Jaeger kid that badly, and if this plan is the only way to make sure we get him, then I'll do it.

Erwin reads off his plan in only two sentences.  The courtroom falls into an awkward silence, and Zackly questions Erwin's lack of detail.  Really Commander Eyebrows?  That's all you have to say?  I highly doubt those two sentences were enough to convince Zackly.  Looks like I will most likely have to carry out Erwin's plan after all.

Erwin clarifies a little more with Zackly's question, but the man doesn't seem moved.  He asks more questions, all of which Erwin answers with simple, short explanations.  Suddenly, the damned merchants start piping up, going on about how our time would be better spent sealing all of the gates on Wall Rose.  Argument rises among him and others in the courtroom.  Are you fucking kidding me right now?  I don't think so.  My turn.

"Squealing louder won't help your case, pig," I interrupt, glaring the merchant down.  "While we're bolstering our defenses, do you think the titans are going to stand idly by?  And when you say 'we can't afford', do you speak for anyone other than your fat merchant friends?  Do you pigs even realize that most of our people are struggling to survive off what little land we have left?"

The merchant blubbers a defense to my questions, but I don't really listen.  He doesn't understand.  None of them do.  When that damned priest starts to argue with the pig, I roll my eyes and look back towards the kid.  I've had enough of their squawking.

Zackly finally calls the court to order, silencing those annoying cockroaches.  Fucking finally.  Zackly continue the tribunal by asking Jaeger a question.  The boy is so determined when he swears that he can still serve and control his abilities.  But then Zackly brings up the battle in Trost, when Eren shifted into his titan form to try and seal the breech in the gate.  I listen intently now.  I've heard reports of what happened during that operation, but I'd like to hear from the brat's own mouth what happened.

Wait, he tried to kill someone while in titan form?  Who the fuck is Mikasa Ackerman?  An intense looking trainee speaks up, and hesitantly admits that Eren tried to crush her.  But then she speaks up loudly about how the kid had saved her twice before, also while in titan form.  I look back at the kid, chained on his knees to the floor.  He seems just as surprised as I am to be hearing all of this.  Does that mean he doesn't remember what happens while he's in his titan form?  That doesn't do much to convince me that this ability of his can be controlled.

And then, of course, Nile has to open his fucking mouth.  What's he going on about now?  So what if she's the brat's adopted sister.  Oh.  Oh fuck.  The brat killed people?  At only nine years old?  Fuck, that's not going to help matters at all.  I don't really care, because after all, pigs that would kidnap children deserve to be put down like the animals they are, but unfortunately it's not me that's making the decision here.

Words start flying, people getting heated and scared.  Accusations are made that the girl is a titan shifter as well.  They're all a bunch of idiots.  But their words and accusations seems to get Eren riled up, and for the first time since the trial started, he speaks up out of turn.  He yells at the merchants, at the people throwing around baseless accusations, trying to defend his sister.

He argues with the merchants, and his words intrigue me.  He speaks up about exactly what I had been trying to say earlier, about how I see these fat fucking pigs across the courtroom from me.  He calls them all a bunch of cowards, and it makes me smile a little, because that's exactly what they are.  He points out that none of them can even imagine what it's like to fight a titan.  Hell, what it's like to even _see_ a titan.  His words are so full of emotion that I can only imagine what this boy has seen in his life.  I know he's from Shiganshina.  He must've witnessed atrocious things during the fall five years ago.  And, judging by the heat in his words, and his strong determination to slaughter all of the titans, I can only guess that he experienced great tragedy on that day.

I feel a nudge on my side and look over to see Erwin nod ever so slightly at me.  Oh right, the plan.  Well I guess it's show time then.  While the entire court is hung up on Eren's words, and the Military Police are taking aim at the kid, I stride over and swing my boot square into the side of Eren's face.

The room falls silent and then, the kid turns his face to look up at me in shock.  Time seems to stop as those big, green eyes lock with mine.

Hundreds of images begin to flash before my eyes, images from a time long since past, a time that I've tried to erase from my memory.  Images of a young girl, with bright red pig-tails and the toothiest smile you've ever seen.  But more prominent in those images are her large, beautiful green eyes.  Those eyes belonged to a girl I loved as a sister.  She was precious to me, and her eyes were the most stunning shade of green I had ever seen.  They had so much life in them, so much happiness and so much spirit.  They glowed when she laughed, and glistened with her tears when she cried.  Other images flash through my mind, images of that sweet girl laying in a pool of her own blood, those beautiful green eyes dull and void, lacking the life that they had always sparkled with.

I thought I'd never see those eyes again.  They were such a unique color that I thought for sure they were one-of-a-kind.  But I was wrong.  Oh fuck was I wrong.  Because now I am standing here, looking down on a boy with those very same, striking eyes.

I kick him again, straight in the stomach.  I can't let anyone see my hesitation.  I can't let anyone see that his eyes are about to break me down.  Especially not him.  So I kick him again, and again, and again.  I ignore his pained grunts and his gasps for breath as I continue to beat him bloody.  And he keeps fucking looking at me.  He keeps looking up at me with those wide green eyes that are the same as hers.  I can't falter now, I can't let this get to me.  I need to keep going with this plan.  I need to keep this up, despite that every time my foot makes contact with his body, it tears at my heart, at my soul.  Every time he looks up at me, I see her face.  I see her face and it feels like I'm fucking kicking the shit out of my own sister.

I shove Eren's face down into the hard stone floor so that he can't look at me.  Holding his head into the ground, I take a minute to regain my composure.  I try to force all of those images out of my head.  I buried them for a reason.  I don't want to be reminded of Isabel.  I don't want to be reminded that she's dead because I made the wrong choice, a choice I will regret for the rest of my life.

To fill the silence and make it seem like I'm not on the verge of a complete breakdown, I speak up.

"You know personally, I think nothing instills discipline like pain."  He's not Isabel.  He's not Isabel.  He's _not_ Isabel.  "You don't need a good talking to.  What you're in need of boy, is to be taught a lesson.  And you happen to be in perfect kicking position."

I stomp down on him.  Over and over again, I stomp him into the stone floor.  My heart is racing and it feels like it's being torn in two.  But at least those eyes aren't on me anymore.  At least I don't have to look into the eyes of my sister while I beat the brat bloody.

"N-Now hold on, Levi."

I pause, my boot pressed into Eren's face, to look over at Nile.  "What is it?" I snap, lowering my boot from the boy's face.  His eyes are closed and he hangs his head.  Good.  I don't want to be able to see those eyes anymore.

"It's dangerous," he tells me.  "What if he gets angry?  Turns into a titan?"

I turn back to Eren just as he looks up at me.  Fuck.  But I kick him again.  I need to keep to the plan.  I need to do this.  It will save him in the end.  That's right, if I keep kicking him now, it will turn out better for him in the end.  Because if the Military Police get him, they'll kill him.  And I can't let that happen.  I can't lose those eyes again.  And suddenly, just like that, I'm personally invested in what happens to this brat.  I won't let the dogs take him from me.

"Don't be silly," I say, answering Nile's question.  I bend down to grab a fistful of Eren's hair, pulling him upright and holding him at eye level.  Those stunning green eyes burn into mine and I look away from him, back to Nile.  "After all, you guys just want to dissect him, don't you?"

I release the boy's hair and straighten, looking down on his bruised and bloody body beneath me.  "During the time he was transformed, they say that Jaeger was able to kill twenty titans before he finally ran out of strength," I say, repeating what Mike had told me the night before.  The boy is still looking down.  Good.  "As an enemy, his intelligence makes him all the more dangerous.  But I can still take him down without a problem.  How many of you can say the same?  Before you torment the beast, you better think, can you _actually_ kill him?"

Well, at this point I don't know if I'd be able to kill him either.  Sure I have the skills, but those eyes....  I'd never be able to get past those eyes.  I'd never be able to kill the brat if he's looking at me with her green eyes.

Erwin's voice rings out across the courtroom, revealing his true plan.  He asks that Eren be made a member of the Scouts Regiment and placed under my constant supervision.  I've already demonstrated to the court that I can handle the brat, that I have what it takes to put him in his place.  And my words probably still ring in their ears, questioning their ability to do what I so obviously can.  Erwin proposes a recon mission outside of Wall Rose, proposing that Eren come with us, and that out there we'd be able to test his control over his ability.

Then, Zackly turns his questions to me.  His question is heavily hinting at what he can't- or won't- say, so I say it for him.

"I can definitely kill him if it comes to that," I promise him, despite my uncertainty of being able to carry out that promise.  "The only downside is, there's absolutely no middle ground."

I glance over at Erwin and he nods ever so slightly.  I can see that girl, Eren's sister, and she's glaring daggers at me.  I know she's planning out over a hundred different ways of killing me slowly and painfully in her head.  Don't worry, kid, I'm disgusted with myself too.  The boy is shaking, and I can hear his quiet, pained whimpers, only adding to that disgust with myself.  At least those eyes aren't looking at me.  I don't know if I'd be able to handle seeing so much pain in his eyes, in her eyes.

...

Leaning against the wall, I watch as Hanji cleans Eren up.  His big green eyes are wide and intimidated as Hanji asks him weird questions.  I watch those eyes, and am relieved to see that they aren't pained anymore, and that they don't hold any anger or hatred when they occasionally flicker over to me.  Now that I've noticed the color of his eyes, it's practically the only thing I notice about him.  I can't take my eyes off of them.  At least by now I'm not seeing Isabel so much in those eyes anymore.  I'm starting to see him.  They are his eyes, and they are beautiful.

Erwin apologizes to Eren for the theatrics, and Eren seems surprised when Erwin tells him how much respect we hold for him.  But it's true.  I for one respect him.  I put him through the ringer, and he didn't once voice his complaints.  He endured it, all of it.  If only he knew how much it nearly destroyed me.

I walk over and drop down next to him on the bench.  The brat flinches away from me and the fear in his eyes almost hurts me.  But I know it can't be helped.  I just hope that one day that fear will fade away.

"So, Eren," I start by saying.

"S-Sir?" he questions in a timid voice.

"You don't resent me now, do you?" I question him.  I need to know.

"N-No!  I can see that what you did was necessary, sir," he says, his voice quiet as he looks away from me.

"Good, then you understand."

Eren looks over at me again and I almost lose myself in those green eyes.  They actually hold respect in them, instead of the fear that was there only a moment ago.  I realize, in that moment, that I never want to see those eyes in pain again.  I never want to see them afraid again.  I realize, without ever consciously deciding to do so, that I will do whatever it takes to make sure this brat is happy.  And as I look back into those bright green eyes, so full of life and spirit, into her eyes, I realize that....  Fuck.  I realize that I've fallen in love with those eyes, and with the brat who owns them.

**Author's Note:**

> I just love a lovestruck Levi X3
> 
> I tried to make this about as long as my average chapter lengths in my other fics, but it didn't quite make it, so I'm sorry for the shortness of it.
> 
> Thanks for reading this little ficlet of mine! Check out some of my milti-chapter fics if you want, or check me out on [Tumblr](http://titaneren-jaeger.tumblr.com/)


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